EDITORIAL: City leaders need to act like adults

We deserve better than bickering, standoffs outside

Here's a message to Clarksville's elected leadership: The citizens of this city and state are watching, and you need to improve your conduct.

The first approval of the city budget (after several weeks of opportunities for council discussion) took place June 7 - well, actually in the pre-dawn hours of June 8 - during a 7 1/2-hour meeting.

The meeting was riddled with childish maneuvering and barbs across the table. It came to a head when Councilman David Allen openly called out Councilman James Lewis, saying Lewis would vote for the mayor's budget no matter what was in it.

Lewis responded, "I'll see you outside," and indeed it continued outside, where Police Chief Al Ansley and another officer had to stand between the men. During the exchange, which took place at about 2:30 a.m., Lewis "made several comments that could be considered a threat," according to police.

Now, it's true that tempers are certain to rise in any 7 1/2-hour government meeting. But there's also a good argument that stress is an excellent test of character, and both councilmen failed: Lewis should be ashamed of having lost his temper, and Allen should check his maturity level at the door.

Still, what happened between Lewis and Allen was just a consequence of tensions that have been building for a long time.

Mayor Kim McMillan and seven council members remain pitted against five other members on most matters. The mayor's opponents complain she's unresponsive to their requests for information and dialogue; the mayor seems to regard her opponents as being obstructionist for the sake of it.

This factionalism is out of control and ruining any chance of effective leadership. Our city leaders seem to have forgotten that this is not Congress or the Tennessee Legislature. This is a city government - we work, live and play together. We're not interested in who scores political points - we're interested in moving this city forward, and doing that together.

But is there any point trying to get this through to our leaders? If they were willing to listen, they would have done so long ago.

So this message is no longer directed to them. This is directed at you, the people of Clarksville.

You deserve better than a seven-hour meeting amid an acrimonious climate that leads to charges of assault by one councilman against another.

You deserve better than carefully crafted excuses and "It's their fault, not mine."

You deserve an apology from the entire council.

You deserve city leaders able to work for the best interests of the city, and that means working together.

They have their chance at the next meeting, 4:30 p.m. Thursday, June 27, in Council Chambers, 108 Public Square.

We encourage all of you to keep a close watch on how your elected leaders behave, and to hold them accountable for that behavior.

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EDITORIAL: City leaders need to act like adults

Here's a message to Clarksville's elected leadership: The citizens of this city and state are watching, and you need to improve your conduct.